There is a dire need for well stocked libraries run by trained librarians in deserving primary schools. More than 16 000 public schools in South Africa do not have libraries...

According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Report for 2011, South Africa has a literacy rate of 88% and sits at number 113 in world literacy rankings. However, if we look at the countries that are still ahead of South Africa, we can see immediately that South Africa’s literacy rate is well below its potential.

Despite Zimbabwe’s economic problems, it has a literacy rate of 91.9% and it is number 95 in the world. Despite great advances towards better education, South Africa lags behind Zimbabwe, Namibia, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho and Libya. Botswana has a literacy rate of 77.7% while Mali and South Sudan are at the bottom of the list of 183 countries with 26.2% and 27% respectively.

The literacy rate is not a measurement of high-level training and education. It simply measures the percentage of people with the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about the written word. Our children’s poor level of literacy is harming their future.

80% of the 22,000 schools in South Africa have no libraries. This means that there are 17,600 schools without libraries. Reading skills obviously suffer, as there is inadequate access to books and a safe environment to encourage reading. This lack of libraries contributes towards the poor literacy rate and low pass rate in schools without libraries.

The Bright Kid Foundation Booktainer® program provides a very effective solution to this problem.

The Booktainer®

We deliver 12 M Booktainers® which serve as very well laid out libraries with 48 linear meters of steel reinforced shelving. Our MANTAG certified Booktainers® have all the usual Edutainer® finishes, including:

• Fully decorated front to customer’s requirements.
• DB board 3 x fluorescent lights 2 plug point and certificate of compliance.
• 4 x aluminium windows with burglar bars.
• Insulated roof with 50mm chromadek panels.
• Waterproofed roof.
• Vinyl flooring.
• 4.5kg fire extinguisher with emergency key holder.
• Wooden shelving along one side, Steel reinfored16mm plywood with 4mm white laminate.
• Display area in shelving.
• Steel security gate.
• Steel combi door with frame and 3 lever lock
• 2 x whirlybird heat extractors. 1 x cooling/heating fan
• Furniture:
• Librarian 1 chair and desk
• Trestle tables and chairs for 10 older children ages 7-18
• Tables and chairs for 10 young children ages 3-6
• 10 square meters bright interlocking 16mm foam mats for floor reading

Stock and Training

• The Booktainer® provides the library infrastructure, but does not include books, as the books required vary with each school and grade
• Government schools have budget to purchase books, and the local Municpal Librarian will arrange for free librarian training courses
• Bright Kid Foundation will connect schools receiving Booktainers® with those which have aleady received them, have successfully set up libraries, and are happy to give advice on setting up the Booktainers®

Recent Reference

07 June 2013
Shukumane Primary School, Tembisa
Mr. Sanguani 082 552 8978
Booktainer® delivered January 13^th 2013

"The library has been an outstanding success. It is used daily and the children love it. We have used it to introduce a reading competition called ‘The Battle of The Books’ which has raised interest in reading throughout the school. It recommend it very strongly to all primary schools"